Penn State vs. Houston: Live Score, Analysis and Highlights for TicketCity Bowl

Rob Bolden will look to lead the Penn State Nittany Lions to a win Monday afternoon and get 2012 started on the right foot for a football program that has been through a roller coaster like no other in 2011.

Bolden will be Penn State’s starting quarterback for the TicketCity Bowl against the Houston Cougars today in Dallas, as the Nittany Lions return to the old Cotton Bowl stadium. Matt McGloin has been ruled out for the game after continuing to fail concussion tests following an altercation with teammate and wide receiver Curtis Drake a couple weeks ago after practice.

McGloin had become the full-time quarterback since Tom Bradley was named the interim head coach, although the team also utilized the wildcat offense as well, using Drake as the key wildcat quarterback. Drake, a Philadelphia native, did not make the trip to the bowl game and Bradley has not commented on how much they will actually use the wildcat offense.

Penn State’s offense could have a tough day ahead of them, because they will have to keep up pace against the nation’s top offense. Houston is a very pass-happy team, with sixth-year senior Case Keenum looking to finish his storied college career on a high note.

After losing the Conference USA championship game at home, Keenum and the Cougars dropped out of the high-profile bowl scenarios, similar to the way Penn State dropped (although for much different reasons). This makes for a quality matchup in the TicketCity Bowl, and it should be one of the better matchups when you look at Houston’s offense and Penn State’s defense.

Stick with us all afternoon as Penn State and Houston go head-to-head in the TicketCity Bowl, the first bowl game to be played today. We will be providing live updates, analysis and thoughts throughout the game, as well as keep you updated on some of the other action going on around the country.

Kevin McGuire is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.